Aru Shah and the Soul Trident

Miss Me?

"AIDEN!" Aru screamed, her breath coming out in short rasps. No. No. There was absolutely no way that Aiden hadn't made it through. She had seen him go through, hadn't she?

She paused in her frantic pacing. No. She hadn't. Aru ran over to the still-open staircase, hoping to see a familiar dimpled face.

But nothing.

The only thing she could see was complete darkness in the tunnel.

"Where's Aiden?" Brynne said, her face paling.

Aru whirled over to her sister, tears pricking her eyes. "I...I don't know!"

Rudy ran over to them, an equally panicked look on his face for once. "We have to go get him!"

"How?" cried Aru. "How are we going to-"

"Guys!" yelled Mini. She pointed at Mahishasura, who began to rise up again. "Get ready!"

Mahishasura rose up to his full height, and squinted in the sun. He let out a long sigh and with a smile creeping up his face, he said, "Ah. I haven't seen the sun in a long time." He turned to look at Aru and the others. "Thank you, Pandavas."

Mahishasura pointed the trident at them and bared his fangs. "Learn what happens when you cross me!" He lunged at them, and Aru scrambled back frantically, keeping an eye at the entrance to Pathal-Loka.

A sudden thought snaked into her mind. What if the prophecy was coming true?

The girl you love will be the death of you.

No. Aru shook her head.

She would never give up on Aiden. Not now. Not ever.

"Aru, watch out!" Aru dodged as Mahishasura swept the trident right above her. She gritted her teeth and raised Gandalf, the shaft of her weapon clanging against the prongs of the Soul Trident.

Mahishasura grinned, and his eyes lit up. "Missing somebody?" he guessed.

Aru let out a guttural scream and pushed him back, making him stumble. She leveled Gandalf at him. "I am going to destroy you!"

She attacked him ruthlessly. A swipe here. A jab there. But each time, Mahishasura parried effortlessly.

Aru stepped back, panting from exhaustion.

Aru! came Brynne's mind-message. Calm down!

But Aiden-

-Will be okay.

Aru glanced at her sister, whose face was stretched taut with worry. But determination glimmered in her eyes. Ammamma won't die that easily.

Aru gulped but gave a curt nod. That's right. She had to believe that Aiden would be okay. And her Aiden would make it.

She turned her attention back to Mahishasura, who surveyed them like a predator picking which prey he wanted to snack on first.

"Hey!" came Rudy's shout from behind Mahishasura. The rakshasa turned to see the trembling naga prince behind him. But besides his shaking body, his face was filled with anger and sorrow as he knocked an arrow in his bow. "I am Prince Rudra of Naga-Loka! And no one messes with my family or my friends!" He let the arrow fly, but just like before, it glanced off of Mahishasura's crimson skin.

Rudy growled with frustration, and kept shooting one arrow after the other over and over again until Mini grabbed his elbow. She whispered something into his ear, and he reluctantly put down his bow.

"Well, well, little naga prince," taunted Mahishasura. "Tired already?"

Rudy glared at him. "You wish."